Welcome to Santa Rosa Ranch
Leaders in Brangus and UltraBlack Cattle
Brangus and UltraBlack Cattle offer ideal genetic traits for efficiency, productivity, tolerability and performance in the grasslands of Texas. While many are familiar with the hybrid vigor of Brangus, a combination of 5/8 Angus, 3/8 Brahman, UltraBlack (13/16 Angus, 3/16 Brahman) are becoming widely recognized for their capability to thrive, particularly in regions that are now experiencing hotter temperatures and drought conditions.
Beef Central highlighted the benefits of UltraBlack cattle in herds developed in Austrailia: The small Indicus infusion in UltraBlacks delivers an animal with a slick coat, elevated environmental adaptation to handle the north’s hot conditions and variable nutrition, and a little more leg under them to get across the country. They also offer the potential to significantly improve fertility in those herds where the F1 heifer progeny are retained.Based on extensive carcass scanning results, carcase and meat quality attributes are virtually identical to a straight-bred Angus animal.
Santa Rosa Ranch is positioned to provide some of the most highly sought genetics for Brangus and UltraBlack cattle in the world.
Making the Best Breed Better
The foundation of the Santa Rosa Ranch herd comes from Brinks and Camp Cooley Brangus, Gardiner Angus and V8 Brahmans. In 2013, SRR expanded their program to include the entire purebred Brangus herd from XS Steiner Ranches (www.steinerranches.com). Artificial insemination and embryo transfer are utilized from the operation’s foundation females and herd sires (either ranch-raised or purchased) which reflect the ideal phenotypic and genotypic traits sought in their offspring.
Bull selection is made for muscle and growth in a moderate package while females are selected for their reproductive history, mothering ability/sound udders and disposition. Each bull is selected to compliment the traits expressed in the female.
Detailed performance data is collected at birth, weaning and yearling phases. Carcass ultrasound data, one of the greatest tools used to evaluate genetic improvements in the herd, is collected on each yearling to evaluate Ribeye Area (REA) and Intramuscular Fat (IMF). Through the genetic improvement realized in the SRR herd, the program has been recognized for offering some of the best genetics in the breed.
The programs offered at Santa Rosa Ranch include:
Bull Development
Replacement Females
Semen and Embryo Sales
Commercial Steers and Heifers - all natural, pasture finished
Fuel for Growth
The majority of the pastures are cultivated with a combination of Bermuda grasses such as Coastal, Tifton 85, Jiggs and Dixiegrass as well as cool season perennials such as Oats and Ryegrass. Access to various fertilizer materials through an alternate enterprise offers Santa Rosa Ranch with the capability to maximize forage production with adequate rainfall. By using a rotational grazing system, SRR can balance the nutritional needs of the cattle while utilizing the available forage without stressing the land.
In addition to traditional dry hay, Santa Rosa Ranch produces haylage, bailing and wrapping the cutting at approximately 50% moisture to produce forage with 18-20% crude protein. This process offers maximum nutritional availability of the forage for an extended time and reduces waste. SRR has recently started green-chopping mature small-grain forage for use in the operation as well.
While all available forage is utilized in the operation, Santa Rosa Ranch uses a supplemental feeding program for developing bulls, heifers and backgrounding commercial steers and heifers. No hormonal implants or ionophores are given to the SRR herd so the all-natural program offers a unique product to the market considering the high weaning and yearling weights of the cattle. Vertical mixers are available to mix various batches, developed by a licensed nutritionist, to fulfill the specific needs for each program.
